


A long way from home

by Petra



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Drabble Sequence, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-05-27
Updated: 2007-05-27
Packaged: 2019-11-26 12:10:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18180425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petra/pseuds/Petra
Summary: Diana had never been to the circus before.





	A long way from home

**Author's Note:**

> Originally two separate chunks of drabbles; thanks to Betty & Mia for encouragement.

Diana had never been to the circus before, but she found the lack of empathy of those present to the plight of the newly orphaned boy unthinkable. She, who could not imagine being so alone, found his lonely sobbing heartwrenching, while all of his Man's World countrymen ignored him.

If anyone saw her when she embraced him, promised him, "You will be safe with me," and flew away, they said nothing.

She argued with the gods themselves for permission to bring him to Themyscira, but it was worth her heart's pledge to never be more than a mother to him.

*

"What does the little one's name mean?" Queen Hippolyta asked.

"Power," Diana said, not meeting her mother's eyes. "Strength."

"You blush at strength?" Hippolyta laughed. "Surely it is not just that."

"That is his true name. The pet name he uses is something more like --" Diana used the primmest possible term.

Hippolyta laughed long and loud. "It benefits from accuracy, if nothing else."

Diana smiled wryly. "In Man's World, both names could mean the same thing."

Hippolyta sobered. "He will not remake our island in that image."

"Never. Hera grant I have learned to be a better mother than that."

*

Donna splashed Dick until his tunic was dripping. "There," she said, "now you might as well swim."

He peeled it off and left it on the riverbank. They ducked each other in great sprays of water until Dick dodged away, panting. "Hang on," he said, and leaned against the ladder rock.

"O, faint heart!" Donna splashed him again.

He didn't retaliate. "I'll be all right in a minute."

She frowned. "I'm sorry. I forgot." She rested a hand on the rock and patted his broadening shoulder. "Men are so fragile."

"No, women are so strong," he said, smiling at her.

*

"But Mother, when I kissed Artemis --" Donna pouted.

Hippolyta frowned. "Dick isn't Artemis. You can't be as free with him as you are with the others."

Donna glared at the wall. "If he were truly dangerous, Aphrodite would bar him from Themyscira. He's not like other men."

"In some ways, no." Diana touched her sister's shoulder. "If you restrained yourself to kissing --"

Donna's frown deepened. "He knows what the girls do. He'll think I don't care for him."

"I don't care to be a grandmother, and I shall tell him so." Hippolyta said.

Donna blushed. "As you say, Your Majesty."

*

"And Donna will go with you," Diana said.

Dick started breathing again. "All right."

Donna hugged him tightly. "We'll be fine if we're together."

Dick's memories of Man's World didn't reassure him on this score. "Can I come back?"

Diana touched his shoulder. "Aphrodite told us to send you off, but she did not forbid you to return."

"I won't leave you out there, even if I have to fight Zeus to get back." Donna gave him a determined squeeze.

Dick winced. "Gods grant it doesn't come to that."

Diana kissed Donna on the forehead, then Dick. "Come home safely."

*

At the end of the first week, Donna said, "I know this is your home, but I can't bear it."

Dick shook his head. "It's not my home anymore." He took her hand. "We can leave tonight."

Donna frowned. "Mother won't like it."

"She's not here."

"No." She embraced him and they landed together on the hotel bed. "Before we go home --" she kissed him.

Dick laughed and kissed her back. "Only before we go home?"

"They were angry --"

"Man's World has --" He blushed. "Precautions, that no one at home needs."

Donna smiled. "Ah. They must, after all. Show me?"


End file.
